Wild wagering, Graduate Series highlight big night at Big M
At 0h38, on May 3, 2021 • By MEADOWLANDS
Wagering that topped the $4-million mark, two $50,000 divisions of the Graduate Series for 4-year-olds on the pace and a pair of top-notch $30,000 Preferreds – one on the pace and one on the trot – highlighted a huge night of racing at The Meadowlands Saturday (May 1).
Betting bettered the $4-million plateau for the fourth time this year, as all-source play totaled $4,451,363 (average per race: $342,412), the second highest night of action at The Big M in 2021, to fall just $100,000 short of what was bet on Jan. 2. Three races saw total pools of over $400,000, with the eighth race the best of the night (and the year), at $498,525.
Action for the weekend totaled $7,967,639, by far a 2021 best.
On the track, continuing to get his campaign off to an extraordinary start was the Tony Alagna-trained Captain Barbossa, who took the first division of the Graduate in a lifetime-best 1:48.4 with Dexter Dunn in the bike.
“He got a pretty good spot early,” said Dunn, “and once we got past the half, he was ready to go. He’s such a nice horse, in the last 100 [yards] he was drawing away from them.”
Ruthless Hanover, unseen since winning at The Big M on Dec. 5 in a sparkling 1:48.4, came back from an extended layoff to stop the clock in 1:48.4 again in the Graduate’s second division.
